How You Use Light Can Influence Your Mood and Improve Your Health

In 1879 Thomas Edison stumbled on an invention that would make him famous, and change the world forever. Though it’s been awhile since that first light bulb flickered on, there are still extreme advances with lighting being made. From developments on how lights affect our moods, to how they can be used in treatments for illnesses, lights continue to impress.

We’ve come a long way since the 1800’s, for sure. Christmas trees are lit up now with strings of lights and not those hazardous candlesticks from the past. Where before we could barely illuminate one room at a time, we now have brightly-lit homes, porches, streets, cities, and more. What was once a precious resource has become almost an after-thought (especially in a world where lighting is controlled by your smartphone).

If we could take a moment to realize the impact that light has on our lives, what could we accomplish? How can we harness that power that we take for granted and use it efficiently and effectively in all aspects of our daily life?

Using lights to their full potential can (and should be) easy and fun! We’ve come up with some quick ways to improve how you use light so that you can influence your mood and improve your health.

  1. Research shows that intense light equals intense emotion. If you’re having an emotional encounter, dimming the lights may help calm the situation and relax those intense feelings. The opposite can be true, as well. Set up a bright desk lamp and work more efficiently when you’re feeling energetic and inspired.  

  2. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you might consider some DIY light therapy. Studies show that exposing yourself to red or green lighting just before crawling into bed can actually help you fall and stay asleep, leading to a more productive you. Check out thisAmber Diamonds bulb that can be used with or without a lamp shade to cast a warm, earthy glow over your bedroom.

  3. Red is exciting for most people. It has the longest wavelength, vibrates at the lowest frequency of all visible light, so is the color that the human sees first, before all other colors. This is why it is used in advertising and stop signs. Fill your room with powerful, warm, stimulating energy with our Red Archimedean Spiral bulb. Although there are some people, who feel more calmed and comforted by Red, most people are calmed by cool colors like Blue and Green.

  4. Winter time can be a time of overindulgence with so many wonderful (and delicious) holidays to celebrate. If you’re trying to suppress your appetite, trying adding some gray paint to your kitchen with a fun lamp, or a purple bulb (check out our Purple Archimedean Spiral bulb, as both tend to suppress thoughts of food.

  5. Don’t be afraid to try new lighting techniques to boost your spirit during the winter months! Add some outdoors to your indoors with thisSnowman bulb, or by using thisSun, Moon and Star bulb in the kids’ room or nursery.
What other ways do you use lights to enhance your life? We’d love to hear about them!